A few nights ago, I shared something that made me smile from ear to ear:

I discovered a stash of books tucked under Lucy’s bed.

Not snacks.

Not toys.

Books.

She had been sneaking in extra reading after bedtime, and honestly? My heart melted. Of all the things a child could be hiding under their bed, this felt like a parenting win.

But then… real life stepped in.

After a few days of late-night reading marathons, I found myself homeschooling a tired, crabby, less-than-joyful child. And suddenly, I was faced with a sentence I never imagined I’d say:

“I need to discipline you… for reading.”

Life has a funny way of humbling us like that.

After a few rough mornings, it became clear that something had to change—not because reading is bad (never that), but because rest matters, obedience matters, and learning how to honor limits is part of growing up.

So we talked.

We landed on a solution that honors her love of books and her need for sleep:

A nightly timer set for 8:30 pm. After bedtime, she gets 15–30 minutes of quiet reading time. When the timer goes off, the books close and it’s time to sleep.

Were there a couple nights she tried to push past it? Of course.

That opened the door for an important conversation about obedience, trust, and why sleep is actually a gift—not a punishment.

And now?

We’re in a really good place.

She feels seen and supported in her love of reading.

I feel confident knowing she’s getting the rest she needs.

And we’ve both learned that even good things need boundaries.

Parenting is rarely about shutting things down—it’s about shaping them with wisdom, grace, and mutual respect.

Even when the problem is… books under the bed.

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Raising Light